Saudi Arabia sending tanks to Yemen
Saudi Arabia is allegedly sending tanks, military equipment to Yemen.
Saudi Arabia is to send military assistance, including tanks, to Yemen in an effort to quell the growing anti-government protest movement in the country, the Yemen Post reported.
The newspaper said that military sources have told them that Saudi Arabia is dispatching armored vehicles “and other military equipment to Yemen” to bolster its efforts to end the movement against the government.
The move comes as other reports say Yemen’s President Ali Abdallah Saleh plans to remain in Saudi Arabia and hand over power. These unconfirmed reports appear to have given protesters hope, as they took to the streets of the country on Friday in massive numbers.
“After having attempted for months to bring a political solution to Yemen’s popular uprising, it seems that the Kingdom has exhausted its diplomatic avenues, preferring to refer to oppressive methods to re-establish tranquility,” wrote the Yemen Post.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia sent military equipment and personnel to Bahrain in order to help the Sunni-minority leadership put down protests in that country.
The result saw Bahrainis end their protests against the monarchy, but have recently returned to the streets in an effort to topple the King.
Members of the Yemeni Opposition told the pan-Arab daily al-Quds al-Arabi that “a motorcade of Saudi armored vehicles and military aid entered the Yemeni soil to help the forces of the regime of [Yemen's] Ali Abdallah Saleh.”
Politicians are now criticizing the more, accusing Saudi Arabia of not upholding its moral obligations towards Yemen.
“How can a modern state condone a government which uses violence against its own people? How can the King criticizes Syria for killing its people and send Saleh weapons?” said a pro-democracy activist in Sana’a, according to the newspaper.
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Section: Latest News, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
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